I was only gone for 5 days. I have already written about one of the final days. Here I will tell some short stories - snippets and observations - from the other days.
- I boarded the plane in DFW with several servicemen, eight or so maybe. I heard one of them say that he'd been in Afghanistan for about a year. I didn't think anything of it. I finished reading a great book on the plane and the flight went by quickly. As we were all making our way away from the gate, like a herd of cattle, I heard from behind me men laughing and one was saying something about his wife's reaction. I realized the servicemen were behind me and they were about to greet their families for the first time in a year or more. I slowed down, as did another group, so we could observe. It was cool to watch it unfold, mostly. There were moms and wives and dads and who knows who they all were but everyone was crying and cheering and smiling. It brought a tear to my eye. Then, I saw one of the men with his wife and young daughter. The girl was about 2, in her mom's arms, wailing. She apparently didn't know who the strange guy was trying to hug her! It was sad. I said a little prayer and moved on, so as not to be gawking. It was a very special moment to be a part of. I am always thankful for our military but when seeing the obvious relief and joy on all the faces of all those who sacrificed for those men to be there, it really puts in to perspective how tough it is. Oh, and there were two guys who didn't have anyone waiting for them. I felt bad and was about to offer to hug them, when they walked off. I then saw them reunite with their loved ones at baggage claim. Yay!
- My plane landed right on time - 11:35pm EDT! I have an awesome cousin who left her door unlocked for me and the cat locked up with her. I got my rental and rolled into her joint about 1am. I literally walked in the front door, up the stairs, brushed my teeth and went to sleep. Leila, the awesome cousin, and I had previously discussed doing brunch and where to have the brunch. We were all three (Mr. Cuz'n too!) excited to try this restaurant's brunch menu. They go there all the time, but for dinner and/or wine. Leila and I had both looked at the brunch menu which said they started serving at 10am. We got there about 10:55 (later than planned). The very nice waiter invited us in even though we were early. Early? Uh, apparently brunch and all related to it is on SUNDAY. Too bad we were there on Saturday! On Saturday they open at 11am with their lunch menu. Luckily, they were still able to give Leila her mimosa! And we all enjoyed our food, though I still want to try their brunch!
- I enjoy a good road trip. In about two weeks I'll be on my way to California! So I figured that a 4ish hour drive from Cuz'n's to Ma wouldn't be a big deal. Both Ma and Leila said to go through Harper's Ferry, as did the GPS. So I did. I remember it being much longer or slower than I66 to I81. It doesn't matter because the longest part was I81 which was the same either way. I somehow missed the signs to I81 in Winchester and ended up in the historic part. I didn't even know they had a historic part, so at least I learned something. About 1.5 hours from Ma, on the other side of the highway, there was a car upside down. The cars were stopped (as in people out of their car wandering around wondering what was going on) for at least 6-7 miles. About 5 miles from my exit to see Ma, cars were stopping. I was SO tired at that point, there was NO way I was sitting in traffic. Especially if their cure in VA was to STOP traffic. There happened to be an exit I could get to. I might have gone the long way, but I got there. My 4 hour drive was more like 6. Probably wouldn't have minded if I'd had my co-pilot, Slugger! The drive back 3 days later was uneventful.
- Before I got to Harper's Ferry, it occurred to me that the Appalachian Trail (AT) was somewhere around there. I am kind of becoming obsessed with thru-hikers (people who hike a really long trail all the way from start to finish, usually in one long hike). The really good book I read on the plane was a guy's stories about his various thru-hikes. The AT is a popular one. Sure enough, I soon came upon a very large sign. I then crossed the Shenandoah River (I had already crossed the Potomac) and noticed hikers next to the road. Some were wearing backpacks... Couldn't be! I kept driving and found a visitor's center that had a very nice restroom and map that included the AT. Sure enough. I drove back down the road and found where it crossed a side road and went back in to the woods. The backpackers I saw were long gone of course. They were also probably not thru-hikers. They would have been going southbound (rare) and were a little early, I think. Anyway, I hemmed and hawed about possibly leaving my ziploc bag of Joe-Joes (Trader Joe's oreo-like cookies) but I decided that some stupid day hiker would eat them. I later looked it up and I was right that thru-hikers were either already past there, or wouldn't be there for days, depending on when they left Georgia. I then planned to try to find the trail in Roanoke (supposedly it's there somewhere) but I never had time. Bummer.
- My flight from BWI to DFW is a story that still irks me. Let's see how short I can make it... I got to the airport in time for my 7:20 flight, even though I knew it'd been moved to 8:10. I enjoyed some Chinese food while sitting on the floor in an unoccupied gate area (as in there isn't really a gate there anymore, no chairs or anything) next to a column that had an electrical outlet. My phone was desperate for juice! The good news is that my iPad had life and there was free wifi :) So, my plane went from Dayton to DFW to BWI to DFW. It left Dayton late which is why I had a later time. There was a storm between DFW and BWI so after a while of hanging out over WV, they landed in Pittsburgh. They sat there for an hour or more before heading to us. They landed and the jet bridge locked up. It was a never ending comedy of errors (not that anyone was making mistakes, it was all just life) but we finally got on the plane and took off about 11:40am. My friend who was going to pick me up had already shuttled my car to the airport instead so I just had to go find it. Thank goodness! Except it was at D and I was at C. Quick Skylink ride and I was on the road home. Oh, and then there was construction so traffic was stopped. For fifteen minutes. Which seemed like an eternity at that point! But about 2:30am I finally pulled into the garage and was welcomed home by a half-asleep but very happy to see me Slugger!!
- The end. Five days of excitement that I am still not recovered from!!
I REALLY don't know how to do pictures in a blog... But here is the WW2 Memorial!! Top left is me in front of Texas' pillar.
